Not the Boy-Who-Lives The Chosen One
by Vocabexpression13
Summary: Being the boy who lived doesn't make you the chosen one. Titles mean nothing Harry Potter was deemed "The Boy-Who-Lived, Savior, The Golden Boy, and the Chosen one." He was none of those things and he was not the one who brought about the end of Voldemort. Let's talk about the real chosen one. Neville Centric story. R/Hr/AD/MM/RH/Weasleys/ and others get bashed
1. Chapter 1

Not the Boy-Who-Lives. The Chosen One

**A/N Being the boy who lived doesn't make you the chosen one. Titles mean nothing Harry Potter was deemed "The Boy-Who-Lived, Savior, The Golden Boy, and the Chosen one." He was none of those things and he was not the one who brought about the end of Voldemort. Let's talk about the real chosen one. **

Cedric was once again where he had been all year since his name came out of the Goblet in September, he was in the back corner of the east wing of the library at the table the same table he had claimed almost every night. The scene changed so rarely with him this year you would think it was scripted; he had books of every kind scattered nonsensically across his table as he would pick up one find the one thing he wanted from it then literally throw it to the side and proceed on to the next. He had two chairs one for his body and one to put his feet up on as the hours waned on. Then he had his two wax candles that he would light every night after Madame Prince kicked everyone else out for the night. Cedric was a champion and therefore had been given a pardon on curfew as long as he was working on the tournament. It was the night before the tournaments' final task, the maze. It was what had consumed most of his time for the last month and a half. In tandem with the third task he was also studying for his N.E.W.T.S and trying to not totally neglect his girlfriend Cho Chang who had been very patient with him and for that he was thankful. To everything and almost everyone else he had become a shadow of the Cedric everyone knew, that constant smile and happy go lucky attitude was gone, replaced with a perpetual frown and worry lines to match the puffy bags under his eyes. He was a far cry from social and had gotten into the bad habit of snapping at people when they interfered with his study and practice time.

So, as was stated at the beginning here he was again, in the library after curfew, alone, with his candles and his books, stressed about the maze that awaited him. As he was reading a book he had been gifted to him by four of his schoolmates. Four fourth years that had twice this year saved his bum. It was a week before the first challenge when Cedric hadn't yet devised a plan to incapacitate his dragon in order to do whatever the judges wanted him to do after that when they had appeared in front of him at the library to help him. After much convincing that they could help and that he should accept their help they walked him through a temporary paralysis on dragons and other large reptiles. When he asked them how they learned that spell they told him they had a run-in with a very large snake second year and they had to do some serious research before they went head up with it. Cedric of course used the spell after many nights with the quartet perfecting it. It saved him from being chased by his dragon and helped him come away alive and with that foolish egg in hand. He had also gained four new unexpected and unexplained allies, normally he would have really vetted them as to their motives with helping him but he figured with all the stress he was in that he better not look a gift horse in the mouth.

The next time they met was one night in the library when Cedric was on the verge of tears because he couldn't get the egg to stop screeching and he had no idea what the clue was. He was in the process of repeatedly banging his head on the table when the four showed up again. They sat down and made him think through it. Magic in its purest form is elemental and that clearly came into play during the first task dealing with an air and fire animal like a dragon. What he took from the dragon was something that didn't belong at all to said dragon so one could assume it would be the antithesis of the first task. Fire and air was the first task and the opposite to that is water so they advised him to submerge it in water and see what happened. Cedric did so in the prefects' bathroom and to his ultimate delight he was finally able to hear the clue, then to his dread he had to figure out what would be taken from him and how on earth he was going to manage staying under water for an hour. The next day when he arrived at his usual table in the library there was a bottle of bubbles sitting on it with his name written on the front, which of course led him to use the bubblehead charm in the second task to rescue his girlfriend.

But now it seemed he was on his own. This was the night before and his four friends, even through they had sent him a couple books, hadn't shown up in person to offer any advice. He sighed deeply into the air looked at all the books on the table. He had studied all he could, retained all he was capable of and now all he could do was hope for the best. He was determined to win this thing and prove that Hufflepuffs were not just "all the rest" in this school, that Helga's house could breed the best that this school had to offer. As he was about to start packing up he heard a girl giggle in front of him. It was a blonde haired grey-eyed girl whom he had gotten to know this year and beside her were the three other students he had gotten to know. With her was a blonde haired blue-eyed boy, a black haired brown-eyed boy, and a black haired green-eyed girl.

Cedric smirked and scoffed a little, "A little late aren't you guys? The task is in about 16 hours. I have to sleep and meet my dad later today."

The raven haired boy spoke up, "We knew you could handle this one on your own so we decided to leave you to it."

"Yeah, the less distractions you had the better." The blonde haired girl added.

"So then you came to me in the eleventh hour just to wish me luck?" Cedric laughed but he stopped when he saw all their faces turned to frowns.

"Not exactly" The black haired girls said dejectedly.

Cedric raised a very weary eyebrow at the gang. "What's with the long faces, I am the one who is going into a maze tomorrow and might not come out." He meant that joke to lighten the mood but instead he seemed to have darkened it.

"You guys are starting to worry me. What is going on?" Cedric said starting to get nervous. Was there some sort of bombshell about the maze they were about to tell him. Did something go wrong, did he have another problem on his hands?

The blonde haired boy looked him straight in the eye and his voice did not waver a bit from the seriousness in which he asked his question. "Cedric, how much does winning this competition really mean to you?"

What a ridiculous question Cedric thought, "It means a lot to me, it gives Hufflepuff the chance to come out from under the shadow of all the other houses that treat us like we are less than, it gives me the opportunity to make my mark in wizarding history. The reward money would really help with me paying for the auror academy, my father said he was willing to pay for me but at least it would take the burden off of him. Why are you guys asking?"

The blonde haired girl's frown seemed to dig even deeper into her face. "Cedric if I told you that I had a very good reason and what I'm asking you to do I am only asking because your life is in extreme danger would you listen to me?"

Cedric thought for a minute _"This can't be good at all, I mean my life was in danger the other two tasks and they never acted like this."_ Cedric nodded his head slightly signifying that he would indeed listen.

"Cedric, you cannot win this task, if you do you will die." She was looking straight into his eyes, not even blinking as it might allow the slightest nugget of doubt into the words that she was speaking to him.

Cedric, however, did blink a few times trying to process the last statement. "But the threat of death has always been apart of this tournament that's part of the glory you get when you conquer it."

The black haired boy spoke, "Cedric you didn't hear us right. It is not a pretty good chance you would die, a high probability that you would die, or even a very good likelihood you would die, what we are telling you that if you win you will certainly die. You have no other path, death is the only option."

"Wait, wait, wait." Cedric said flopping back into his chair behind the table. He breathed in and out a few times before he spoke again. "What makes you so sure I am going to die if I win?"

They all spoke one word in unison that made the hair on the back of the young champions neck stand up. "Voldemort."

"What does h,h,he have to do anything?" Cedric stuttered, "He has been gone for years." He looked at them to confirm his statement with a nod or something but nothing came but the shaking of their heads.

"He is not dead, he is alive and he and his death eaters are planning something for the task." The black haired girl said.

"Why?" Was Cedric's only question and for that question he got an answer that wasn't to hard to believe. Harry Potter, of course it was Harry Potter. If what they were telling him was true there couldn't be anyone else more likely to be involved than the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.

The four kids went on to explain to him, in as much detail as they possibly could although there was some things they could not tell him, how Voldemort had been after Harry since he came back to the wizarding world and how he had planned to trick Harry into the tournament and trap him at the end.

"You see Cedric there was no other opportunity to do it in this tournament. But in a maze with no one monitoring anything and just the four of you this is his opportunity. There has been a lot of former death eater activity and we are sure it has something to do with the cup in the center." He was told.

"But how do you know I will die if I win?" Cedric said in a quiet voice.

"I've seen it." The blonde girl said. Cedric looked at her in disbelief. "I am not kidding Cedric, I like my mother before me have the gift of sight and I have seen it. If you grab that cup in the maze you are going to die."

"We are only doing this because we care about you Cedric. We would love to see you win but we don't want to see you lose your life to do so. With all the help we have tried to give you to put you in a position to win we would not try to take it all away if it wasn't imperative that it happen."

"Please consider it thoroughly Cedric. There are many things in your life that are much more important than winning this tournament."

As they turned to leave one more then was said to the stunned Champion. "We have tried many ways to change this from happening but some things about it were beyond our interference. This outcome will only change if you decide to change it. We are truly sorry that we had to do this to you Cedric but please believe that we have your best interest at heart." And with that the four kids turned to leave.

**The Night of the Third Task**

The four students sat in the stands getting ready to watch what they knew was going to be a train wreck. Their wands gripped tightly in their hands just in case anything should spill over into the crowd. They saw Cedric the one they had tried to help, they saw Fleur the one they had already convinced not to win, Krum whom they weren't allowed access to but figured he wasn't going to win anyway, and Harry whom they knew they couldn't help because to many people involved were working to make sure whatever happened tonight did indeed happen. They knew that tonight even it all went as they tried to arrange it, would still be a tragic night.

"Did we do enough to change his mind?" The raven haired boy asked the blonde.

"We changed a certainty into a choice that is the best we can do." She replied, "But no seer can see beyond a choice that hasn't been made yet, and since I cannot see anything past this moment it tells me he has not made his choice yet."

They other three sighed, there was nothing they could do about it now but sit, watch, and wait.

Then it started. Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Krum all went in. About twenty minutes in red sparks flew up and out came Viktor Krum.

"Well that's one down." The black haired girl said.

"We knew there was no way Karkaroff was going to let him touch that cup." The blonde haired boy replied.

Another twenty minutes and out came Fleur. All four were glad to see she had stuck to the plan. Now all that was left was Cedric. It was verging on an hour and he still hadn't come out. The group of four was starting to prepare themselves for the worst case scenario. About and hour and a half into the race it happened. Harry Potter came out of the maze bloodied and bruised and lying beside him was Cedric Diggory.

The two girls in the crowed began to cry even before Harry could pronounce the return of Voldemort and the death of Cedric. The boys grabbed them up and led them out of the strands and quietly away. They would morn for the boy later but now that this had happened they had work to do. They had failed to save Cedric but now they had other lives to try and keep from ending.

**AN: I didn't tell you how it happened because I didn't was to put cedric in one light or another but now he is gone. So either way now I have a base to start with. **


	2. Chapter 2

Not the Boy-Who-Lives. The Chosen One

**End of Tournament Feast **

_**"Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."**_** (GF37)**

Dumbledore stepped down from his perch at the front on the head table, as he came down off his soapbox and sat in his throne of a chair he fought to keep a smile from creeping onto his face. He cared about Cedric's death as much as he cared about the Knight Bus arriving on time. Cedric's death was a small footnote that in the bigger scope of things was nothing more than a small mark that would hardly be remembered. The greater good demanded that sacrifices be made, Cedric was in the wrong place at the wrong time and a bad thing happened to him what should Dumbledore care? He had arranged for people, good people, people who meant more to the fight for the greater good than a seventeen year old kid did to die so whatever. He had to appear somber in front of the teachers and students so that his loving grandfather and lover of all things good did not show itself as the façade it was. Cedric's death would mean now one of two things for him and his cause. Either the ministry would believe Harry that Voldemort was back and Cedric would be used as a rallying martyr for the first to die in the second war, or Harry wouldn't be believed and the ministry and the media would tear him apart again further alienate him from everyone in the wizarding community leaving him depressed and alone with very few people to trust, with of course Dumbledore being at the top of that list.

So they ate together, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts for the last time. It was a somber event, not much chatter could be heard and what was barely came above a whisper. All the students finished eating and then it was time for everyone to say good-bye. But in the corner of the great hall the four gathered again.

"Even after all this Albus hasn't told him what he needs to know, it is clear now that he just wants Harry dead and anyone that might stop that from happening." The black haired boy said.

"Well then we have to tell him and get him the bloody hell out of here. Voldemort is back fully and it is about to get a lot more dangerous for everyone and especially him." The black haired girl said. "He has to know what he is really dealing with and the kind of people he really has around him.

"I see that he won't believe us." The blonde haired girl spoke up. "The old man has him brainwashed and I bet if we checked he used a few memory charms to get his brain squeaky clean."

"Well go and get him alone so we can talk to him." The blonde haired boy said.

"Are you kidding? Those two traitors he has for friends are draped over him like a blanket all day and night." The black haired boy replied.

"You know it won't be easy, he isn't particularly bright and he doesn't trust easily, and when he sees the two of you the chances of us getting him to listen to us dropped to almost nil." The black haired boy said. "And like most the people at this school, he thinks the sun shines out of Dumbledore's arse."

The Black haired girl was getting agitated. "Just go and get him," she gritted through her teeth, "Bring him to Vectors' classroom and we will try and reason with him."

The black haired boy looked like he was about to protest but seeing the look on the girls' face he nodded and turned to leave.

"Ten minutes" The boy said as he walked away.

He fought through the crowd of people being stopped on more than one occasion by the other students to say goodbye until he made his way to the courtyard. He spotted Harry by the pillars on the bridge by the entrance, flanked of course by the two people who never left his side; Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. It made the boy sick to think that Harry could be so clueless as to mistake those two for friends.

"The boy can't tell a friend from a mole." He thought to himself as he walked up to them.

"Harry" he said with a forced smile on his face. "Got a minute?"

Harry smiled slightly as he turned to the boy. "Neville, sure what's on your mind?"

"Umm it's a little private." He said looking over Harry's shoulder at the other two who made no attempt to disguise the fact that they were listening. "Can you come with me for a second?"

Harry made to speak but Ron cut him off. "Why does he need to go anywhere with you Longbottom," Ronald snapped. "What do you have to say in front of him that you can't in front of us?"

"If I wanted you to know Ronald wouldn't I have told you?"

"I don't think Harry should be going off to private places at the moment considering what just happened in the tournament." Hermione popped in. "At least not without his friends."

"What is it you think I am going to do to him Hermione?" Neville asked with his eyebrow raised.

"I didn't do anything to him the first few months of school when he needed help and didn't have a certain couple of friends to draw assistance from."

Hermione wanted to rebut but she thought better of it. Harry finally got a word in. "Come on guys it's Neville he isn't going to do anything to me."

"Squib probably couldn't do anything anyway." Ron said under his breath. Neville, however, heard him and as he walked away with Harry he sent a spell silently at Ron chuckling to himself as they entered the building.

"So what is this about Neville?" Harry asked.

"You will understand when we get to the classroom." Neville said but Harry eyed him suspiciously. "There are some things you have not been told that are way past due for you to know about."

"Neville you're worrying me." Harry said as they arrived at Professor Vector's empty classroom.

"You should be worried." Neville said as he opened the door and led Harry through.


	3. Chapter 3

Not the Boy-Who-Lives. The Chosen One

As Neville and Harry entered the classroom Harry saw three people standing in front of him, two that he recognized and one that he did not. The two he knew made him want to turn around and leave immediately but with Neville blocking the door he decided instead to grab his wand and prepared to defend himself. But before he could do anything else his wand we wrenched out of his hand and flew back behind him.

Harry rounded on Neville who held Harry's wand in his right hand and his own in his left. "What is this some sort of trap? Have you switched to the other side Longbottom?!" Harry lurched at Neville but was held at bay by Neville's stiff arm that didn't even so much as waver as Harry ran into it.

"Harry this is not a trap." Neville said, "We are in this room because we want to help you. You are in this room because you truly need help." Harry snorted at the comment.

He turned looking at the two students who were in Slytherin robes. "You can't really believe those two are trying to help me, when have you ever known snakes to be friendly to me?"

"About the same amount of time we have known you to be friendly to us. It wasn't a one way street Potter. Don't try to act like you didn't match us insult for insult or prank for prank." Pansy Parkinson answered. Harry pretended like he didn't hear that last part of that comment.

"Draco has been out to get me since first year." Harry yelled. "What possible help could he be to me?"

"Potter there are things in place you don't understand, everything that has been done has been done for a reason." Draco said

"Give me back my wand Neville." He said with his hand extended. "If I go down I want to go down fighting but my blood will be on your hands Longbottom."

Neville rolled his eyes. "Are you done with the dramatics now Harry?" Harry's eyes widened with shock at Neville's attitude, this isn't the shy slightly prone to stuttering boy he knew. "If we wanted to kill you, you would he dead. All four of us have the ability and the power to do whatever we want to and you wouldn't be able to do a thing about it. We brought you hear to help you not hurt you so will you please relax so that we can have a civil conversation."

"Good luck with that one Longbottom. Did any of you survive a killing curse, did any of you kill a man by just touching him," His words were venomous, he turned again to the two Slytherins, "Kill a troll lately have you or a Basilisk, escape Voldemort three times did you? What is it that makes you think any of you are better than me?"

The blonde haired Ravenclaw who was attempting to keep a straight face could no longer handle it and she started laughing out loud at Harry's rant.

"What are you laughing at," Harry asked incredulously, "I don't even know you. Where do you get off laughing at me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Harry Potter; I thought you were doing a stand-up act." She said laughing between words. "My name is Luna Lovegood so now you know who I am. I was laughing because I never heard someone give such a heartfelt soliloquy where everything they said was false."

"Oh and you would know?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry, we would." Neville said. "I brought you here so you could be away from those moles you call friends long enough to hear what is really going on around you."

Neville handed Harry back his wand and Harry immediately made for the door but a quick spell drove Harry back into a desk and bound him there.

"I told you Harry, you are outnumbered and everyone here is better than you." The four students sat down in front of him. "We just want you to listen." Harry stayed silent not even willing to look up at the four.

Draco finally spoke. "Potter think for a second, would you please? You aren't surrounded by Slytherins there is also a Ravenclaw and Gryffindor here. If we went through all this to get you here, not harm a single hair on your head, and ask only that you listen and nothing more, if I was you I would at least try and listen just to see what the hell it was all about." Harry still would not look at them.

"Harry Potter, it is easy to see someone's circumstance when you are on the outside looking in, but it is hard to see the big picture when you are in the middle of the mess." Luna said.

Harry was slightly confused. He said nothing but the look on his face gave him away.

Pansy spoke up. "Potter this is going to be a lot to take in but I am going to give it to you straight out. You have been lied to, spied on, used, and abused your whole life. The people that you think are your friends are after your money and fame, the man you look up to more than anyone is grooming you for slaughter, and the ones you think of as allies would no more protect you than Voldemort himself."

"You all have gone mental." Harry looked at the girl menacingly. "How dare you speak about my friends and Dumbledore. They are the best people I know."

"The best people you think you know." Pansy replied.

"Harry Potter." Luna interjected stopping the banter between the two. "What is Hermione's favorite color?" Her silver eyes where sharp as she stared at him.

"Umm..." Harry sputtered because he honestly did not know.

Luna continued her questioning. "What do her parents do for a living? Or better yet what are her parents' names? Would even be able to identify them if you saw them?"

He couldn't answer the questions. To any normally reasoning person this might have raised a flag but Harry could only think that the girl had nerve for even questioning him at all.

"I don't have to answer to you!" He shouted.

"Translation," Said Neville, "He hasn't the slightest idea." Harry glared at him.

"If she is your best friend why haven't you had talks like that? Why haven't you asked about her, why hasn't she talked about herself or her life to her best friend? And honestly why hasn't she asked any of those question to you?" Luna left it there.

"So I don't know her favorite color what does that really mean?" Harry retorted.

"It's not about that particular question Harry, it is about the shallowness of your relationship." Luna answered. "Pick any other question Harry you couldn't answer it. Besides English what other languages does she speak? What does she want to be when she grows up, what is her favorite elective, why is she afraid of heights, pick one any one. Answer one of those Harry, just one?"

Harry could not.

"That's the point I am trying to make, it has been four years and your relationship is as shallow as a kiddy pool. Seems more like an alliance than a friendship to me and if you think about your relationship with both Ron and Hermione that way then some things might become clearer to you."

Draco started in on Harry next. "Do you ever wonder how it is that Ron is now in fourth year and still has trouble levitating a feather but is still allowed to progress in school? He is at the bottom as far as grades every year and you know that Hermione does a lot of his work for him and he still barely gets by. How is it that you were sorted into his house with three of his brothers? Think about it really, Mrs. Weasley had five kids who went to Hogwarts before Ron and she forgets where the platform is the day you happen to be looking for help. How is it that after less than a year of knowing you, Dumbledore who kept you totally out of the magical world for ten years allows you to just go off the their house? All of a sudden the wards that were supposed to protect you from all danger until you got back to Hogwarts were ok to leave because the Weasleys could protect you? If they could protect you then why couldn't a magical family that would probably love to have you and treat you a damn sight better than those muggles you live protect you."

Harry could not help but to think on that a little bit.

Neville took his turn next. "How is it that with only speaking after you get into some sort of life and death situation at school Dumbledore knows everything about you? Did you remember him saying things to you that you had only told your friends or said out loud when no one was around? Why is it that Ron and Hermione block everyone else from becoming close to you? You have been here four years and you still only have two real friends, I've been in the same house with you all that time and I see how they shield you from others and put down anyone else that tries to get close to you. Why is it that every year you have to reestablish a friendship with Ron or Hermione because of some kind of misunderstanding?"

Harry thought back, besides the odd letter once or twice from Dumbledore he never spoke to him. But yet at the end of the year he seemed to know everything about him before he even said anything. Why is it that Ron or Hermione always found one excuse or another for him to not be friends with anyone outside Gryffindor?

"You are trying to say that they want to be the only ones around me and that they are giving information about me to Professor Dumbledore?" the four nodded.

"Why would they do that?" He asked.

"Like I said the people you believe are your friends are after your fortune." Pansy answered "The Weasleys may be a pureblood family but they are only just getting by, Dumbledore for all his awards and status isn't independently wealthy either. Hermione wants the recognition of being the advisor to the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Why should I trust you, what motives do you have behind this?" Harry asked.

"We are trying to save your life Potter." Draco said. "The road you're going down and the people beside you on that road will lead to very bad results."

"As far as our motives, we want to offer our help to educate you and try and save your life." Luna said.

"Why do you talk about Dumbledore like he is evil or something? He is the greatest wizard on earth." Harry said defensively.

"And you state that on what authority?" Neville asked.

"Well everyone says so." Harry replied.

"Who is everyone Potter?" Draco asked,

"Hagrid, the other professors, he holds titles in government, he has his face on chocolate frog cards for God sakes." Harry said.

"So you are taking the word of professors who owe their jobs to the man, the belief that politicians are in some way honorable, and the chocolate frog makers putting him on a card as proof of his greatness?" Pansy groaned out loud in frustration. "You are less intelligent than I even cared to think. Besides what is written on the back of that chocolate frog card do you know anything else about him? Accomplishments, discoveries, or history? Anything?"

Harry had never thought about what he really knew of Dumbledore. They never had a conversation of any real deep meaning about his life; he only knew what the few people he talked too said about him.

"There are two sides to every story Harry Potter." Luna said. "Do you know about him and Grindlewald? Did you know he was transfiguration professor when Voldemort was here? Did you know about the death of his sister?"

Again he would have liked to answer but he had no clue about any of that, he just shook his head.

"I'm curious Harry, if Dumbledore is such a great leader for everything that is good and right why is it that as your magical guardian he left you with muggles that abused you? Why if he cares so much about you that not one time in eleven years did he check on your condition? Why on earth does he still send you back there every summer after he has seen the signs of abuse you have?"

"He said there are blood wards there that keep me safe from Voldemort." Harry replied.

"Blood wards huh? Ok, but you've been going the school the last few weeks claiming Voldemort used your blood to bring himself back." Draco said.

Harry looked at Draco blankly. It didn't click; the dots didn't connect much to the irritation of the four students trying to give the boy a clue.

"Come on Harry think!" Neville yelled in frustration. "Think about this, if Voldemort is just now getting a body what were these blood wards supposed to protect you from? What threat was so terrifying that you couldn't have stayed with either of your magical godparents or some sort of magical guardian? Someone well versed in magic and could actually do something to protect you if some sort of magical being tried to attack you? And if he now has your blood running through his veins what good are blood wards?"

"Magical godparents?" Harry asked. He knew about Sirius but he knew nothing of a godmother. But he didn't want them to know about Sirius "Who said I have them?"

"After four years in this world you still do not know even the basics of our culture." Pansy said. "Pick up a book sometimes Potter, or even just ask a question." Neville put a hand on her shoulder so she would stop ranting.

"All magical children born are given godparents should anything happen to our real parents." Neville said. "You should've been told who they were a long time ago and they should have been with you when you heard your parents will."

"Will?"

Draco just sighed. "He really has kept you totally out of the loop. Your parents died in wartime, did you not think they thought it could be a possibility and made out a will?"

To be honest Harry did not, there was no reason for him to, he had his trust vault and he didn't think of much else. It was obvious to the four that they struck a nerve.

"Harry did you ever think it coincidental that a troll is set loose in school and you get to it before trained magical professors do? With just a levitating spell you kill it by dropping a club on its head and sticking a wand up its nose? Does that really seem like a plausible way to kill a troll?" Luna asked.

"Do you think a teacher could be possessed and no other teacher notices anything? Do you truly believe that something as important as the philosophers stone could be gotten to by a first year? One who only had a game of chess, a find the key game, and a riddle to get through to obtain it? Ronald Weasley only does one thing well and that is play chess. You in your first year showed a very good aptitude for flying, and if Granger can't do anything else she can solve a riddle, does that not strike you as odd?" Pansy asked.

"Think about the ramifications of the chamber of secrets. It was opened before and the creature inside was responsible for killing one student. It was opened again and yet Dumbledore doesn't shut the school down and get the children to safety. Do you think it was just by chance that your best friend gets petrified? Do you think it was by chance that your other best friend's sister was taken into the chamber? Even odder is that once again instead of the schools trained professionals in magic went to get her and defeat the snake you did it? Do you think that a 200 year old Basilisk couldn't kill you if it really wanted to? Do you really think Phoenix Birds just appear out of thin air because they feel someone is in trouble or because of a swell of loyalty in the air? Or even that a sword appears just by you being a Gryffindor?" Neville added.

"Do you think someone spends over a decade in Azkaban and then manages to escape on his own? Do you honestly believe Dumbledore didn't know Sirius was innocent? And with all the pull that Dumbledore has he couldn't get your godfather cleared if he wanted to?" Draco asked.

"How did you know about him?" Harry demanded.

"Harry the only one in this room who is really out of the loop about most things is you." Neville answered. "There is no such thing as coincidence when Dumbledore is involved. EVERYTHING that is happening or has happened was planned. You are being used."

They then stopped talking as they heard Hermione and Ron walking by calling out Harry's name.

"This is your one shot Potter. We can't let you leave out of here knowing we know things if you are just going to go blab to those two." Pansy said brandishing her wand just in case. "Dumbledore is not to be trusted, those two outside are not to be trusted, and the Weasleys in general are not to be trusted. If you go along with them you will end up dead. We are offering to help you."

"What do you want me to do?" Harry asked.

"We want you to pick up on things, we want you to actually learn things and pay attention. When you leave us and go off with them think for yourself. Try and notice everything around you. Ask questions and observe how just how many answers you don't get." Draco answered.

Harry thought about it.

"And if you finally see what it is we are trying to tell you before school starts and decide you want to live, send a letter to Neville. Nothing too specific as probably everything you give or get is tampered with. Then we can start to tell you all you need to know." Draco finished.

Harry nodded and Neville lifted the charm that had Harry pinned to the chair. Luna stopped him.

"Your mind is weak and Dumbledore reads minds. It is illegal and an extreme violation of privacy to do so but he doesn't care. We need a magical vow from you not to divulge what you just heard. If you do then you won't be able to tell him what happened and he won't be able to read your mind to get it either."

Harry lifted his wand. "I Harry James Potter swear on my magic that I will not reveal what has been told to me in this room." His wand flashed as the vow was accepted.

Without saying another word he rose from the seat walked out the door leaving the four alone.

Neville heaved a big sigh not really sure if any of what they said had made a difference. "What do you guys think?"

"It is so odd to me that he seemed to never have thought of anything we said to him before." Pansy answered.

"I think that he might already be too far gone to believe us." Draco said. "Any rationally thinking person would have reacted much more intensely to being told things like that."

"Well Luna you are our resident seer, what do you think?" Neville said turning to her.

"No one can see past a choice that hasn't been made. Harry has two paths, the one we have given him appears dark to him and Dumbledore's shines brightly." She spoke cryptically.

"Well that just great Luna, real encouraging." Draco snickered nudging her in her side.

"It if makes you feel any better I can tell you that Wacksprouts are going to attack you on the train ride home." Luna smiled walking toward the door. "Shall we?"

With that they all left the classroom and headed towards the train.

Harry had walked to the carriages alone, he was in deep thought. For the first time he had to consider the few things in his life that he had clung to as real and true perhaps were not. As he approached a carriage Ron and Hermione finally caught up to him.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, "Where have you been we have been worried sick."

"I was with Neville and after we finished talking I started walking to the carriages."

"Yeah but we looked all over the castle for you where were you two." Ron asked.

"In a classroom." Harry answered plainly.

Hermione gave him a look; she didn't really believe what he was saying. They had checked most of the classrooms and they were empty. They three of them got into a carriage and started the ride to the train.

"Well?" Ron looked at Harry expectantly.

Harry looked back. "Well what?"

"What did Neville want?" He asked.

"You already know that it was private Ron that is why we left." Harry answered.

"Come on mate I'm your best friend, surely whatever he told you can tell me." Ron said slightly put off that Harry hadn't just flat out told him.

"I think you miss the point of private Ron?" Harry said.

"Harry if he pulled you away like that he surely had something important to say." Hermione said. "You can trust us."

Harry turned to Hermione and really focused on her. "Hermione what is your favorite color?"


End file.
